Kindness of A Stranger, Fair Oaks, California-Part 3

n my previous postings( Part 1 and 2), I described act of kindness by strangers in the Philippines. In this posting is another incident that shows a lot of people are kind here in the US. This incident occurred in Fair Oaks, CA- my former home.

Here's a repost of my blog, I wrote a couple of years ago.    

Kindness of a Stranger-Free Hair Cut for Macrine

Photo Credit: by J. Jesus

My barber is a young South Korean lady probably in her early 30's. She told me her parents immigrated to the US about 2 decades ago and she is a Roman Catholic. This is all I know about this personable young lady who cuts my hair every 4 to 6 weeks. 

One day, I mentioned to her that my wife who is home-bound in a wheel chair needs a hair cut. I asked her if she does home service haircuts and if not if she knows of any one. 

Without hesitation, she said she does this kind of work but for free as her humanitarian and charitable project. I insisted I pay her. She said if I pay her she would not come. I gave her my phone and home address.

The other day she called and dropped by our house after her work at the Barbershop. She complained she had a busy day with dozens of kids having haircuts all day and getting ready for the opening of the school year.

She came to the house just a few minutes after our dinner. The smell and aroma of the Kare sa Pata *💙( Pigs Hock/Feet with peanut sauce) that I cooked that afternoon was still permeating the whole kitchen and dining area. David III asked her if she eats pig feet.

Without hesitation she blurted out this response: I am Asian you know so I eat anything that moves. What a sense of humor.

David packed her a sample of my Pork Hocks Kare-Kare with shrimp paste (bagoong) in peanut sauce and assorted greens plus a can of coke to take home.  She was very appreciated of the food we gave her.  She plans on cutting Macrine's hair every 4 to 6 weeks. 

Thanks a million Agnes Chung for your generosity. I hope what you give will be returned a thousand fold!    For my other blog on Kindness of Strangers please read:

https://davidbkatague.blogspot.com/search?q=kindness+of+a+Stranger

Read this site for the recipe of my Kare-Kare: 

💚https://myfavoritepinoydishes.blogspot.com/2020/12/cooking-oxtails-kare-kare-for-our.html

Kindness of A Stranger in the Philippines Part 2

In Part 1 of this series I discuss an incident in Marinduque, which showed an act of kindness of strangers by showing their home to us without an advance notification. In that article, Macrine ( RIP) and I were complete strangers, but were welcome to their vacation home without advance notification. This is Part 2 and I hope you will enjoy reading this posting also.   

An Unexpected Help from a Stranger

Bright Future for Philippines' Younger Generation 

During the first leg of our trip back home (Boac to Manila) from the Philippines to Northern California, after our 4-month sojourn from our vacation beach house, I experienced an act of kindness and thoughtfulness that was not expected from a complete stranger. This act of kindness that is unexpected is an omen that there is a bright future for the Philippines' younger generation.

I was carrying two hand carries boarding a Zest Air plane bound for Manila. Suddenly, a young man rushes in front of me and volunteered to carry one of my hand carry bags up to my seat in the plane. I was sort of shocked, since this was not expected. I gave him a look of surprise but gave him a thank you smile and appreciation of his thoughtfulness.

Perhaps, you are wondering why I had two "hand carry" bags. The reason why I have two hand carries is that Macrine is now using a quad cane and is not able to carry her own hand carry. She refused to use a wheel chair in boarding the plane, since it was just a short walk from the boarding gate to the plane. 

The volunteer was a young and good-looking teenager named Carlo Yu. He is a student of De La Salle University in Manila. He is traveling with his mother and an older sister, returning to Manila after a three day vacation at the world-renown 5-star beach resort, Bellarocca Resort and Spa💚 in Buenavista.

💚 https://chateaudumer.blogspot.com/2021/08/photo-memories-of-chateau-du-mer-and.html

💚https://marinduquemyislandparadise.blogspot.com/2014/03/is-bellarocca-resort-and-spa-closing.html

Thirty minutes later when we arrived in Manila, he and his sister again helped me picked up and load my three suitcases in my cart for check out. 

Indeed what a kind and thoughtful young man. If most of the Filipino teenagers are like Carlo, there is indeed a bright future for the Filipino younger generation. Thank you again Carlo for your kindness. Perhaps someday our path will cross again, then I will have another chance to say thank you. Hep, Hep, Hurrah! for the Filipino Youth!

Meanwhile, here's the picture of Macrine as she waits for a visit from her sister Charro Jambalos Levine of Palo Alto, CA, February 17, 2020 

💚Today both Chateau Du Mer Beach Resort and the Bellarocca Resort and Spa are closed.  Chateau Du Mer had a 3 Star Rating while Bellarocca Resort had a 5 Star Rating prior to their closure.   

Kindness of Strangers in the Philippines-Part 1

Chateau Du Mer, Boac, Marinduque.Philippines, 2020 

The other day I posted an article about the kindness of a stranger to ten soldiers in their way to Afghanistan, buying them $5 lunches in the airplane. In that article I cited three links on my own personal experience as a recipient of kindness from complete strangers in the US. In this blog, I am reposting my previous article ( Part 1) of our ( Macrine-my late spouse and I) experience as a recipient of kindness in Marinduque, Philippines - my previous home. Here's Part 1 for your reading pleasure. Part 2 will be posted soon. 💚 Do not forget to view the video at the bottom of this posting.     

 

Kindness from a Stranger!- Boac, Marinduque, Philippines

Front Yard of our Retirement House in Amoingon, Boac, Marinduque, Philippines

Several years ago, prior to the building our beach house in Amoingon, Boac, Macrine and I usually have Sunday drives after church from Amoingon to Buenavista. This drive along the national road parallels the western seacoast of Marinduque where there are beautiful homes of expatriates and balikbayans retirees from all over the world as well as rich businessmen from Manila. We drive just to get an idea of the architectural styles that we may be able to incorporate into our beach house design. 

One Sunday we saw a beautiful modern design beach house painted blue, between Gasan and Buenavista. It is appropriately named, CASA DE AZUL. We were struck by the simplicity of its design and architecture, we decided to park outside the gate of the house. We got out of the car, linger a while at the closed gate to see if the owners are in. It appears that someone was in the house and I started ringing the door bell. No sooner than after I pressed the buzzer, a middle aged lady got out of the house and asked us what we want. I said we admired the style of the house and asked permission to take a photograph. Then we introduced ourselves and stated our purpose why we stopped. 

To our surprise the lady invited us to come in and introduce herself as the owner. Her husband was outside the yard and asked if we are interested to see the whole house as well as the backyard which faces the ocean. The house was beautiful inside, modestly furnished and with a swimming pool. We found out that the couple resides in Manila. The house is their weekend retreat. The lady is a Filipina and the husband was originally from Austria. The wife works in Manila and her husband is in the import-export business. 

This incident will never happened in the US. The owners will probably call the police and accused us of trespassing. Bob Martin, owner of "Live in the Philippines" web magazine commented, "Wonderful story, David. I fully agree this will not happen in the USA. They would suspect that you might be a terrorist, or planning to pull a robbery at the house". 

To reciprocate this act of kindness from a stranger, we allowed visitors to take photographs of our front yard. We have several visitors the last couple of years who stopped at our front gate and ask permission to take pictures of the front yard. The front yard is landscaped with blooming bougainvilleas in a rainbow of colors, orchids, and several blooming tropical shrubs. Yes, indeed we allowed them to take photographs of "my landscaping" and even offer them a glass of juice or bottled water. It is our way of reciprocating the kindness of the couple who resided in the Blue House by the Sea. 

Unfortunately, we have forgotten their names and they probably do not remember our names also. But, I feel this story is possible only in the beautiful island of Marinduque-home of the most hospitable people in the Philippines, if not in the whole world.

Meanwhile, Marinduque is known for its heritage homes built several decades ago in downtown Boac. This one is the ancestral home of my wife's Grand Parents ( Nieva-Jambalos family).  

Please view this video on Kindness and how it affects Others. 

💚https://nethugs.com/be-kind-inspirational-motivational-video/

We are called to be kind! When we show kindness to others the impact it has can change their lives.

Last but not least, Kindness is an act that the blind can see and the deaf can hear. Have a Great Day Every One. 

An Act of Kindness from a Complete Stranger

💥💥

 From My Page Book Today. This story gave me a tear or two, touches my Heart! 

Please read the three links at the bottom of the page discussing my personal experience of being the recipient of kindness from complete strangers.

"I put my carry-on in the luggage compartment and sat down in my assigned seat. It was going to be a long flight. 'I'm glad I have a good book to read. Perhaps I will get a short nap,' I thought.

Just before take-off, a line of soldiers came down the aisle and filled all the vacant seats, totally surrounding me. I decided to start a conversation.

'Where are you headed?' I asked the soldier seated nearest to me. 'Petawawa. We'll be there for two weeks for special training, and then we're being deployed to Afghanistan.'

After flying for about an hour, an announcement was made that sack lunches were available for five dollars. It would be several hours before we reached the east, and I quickly decided a lunch would help pass the time...

As I reached for my wallet, I overheard a soldier ask his buddy if he planned to buy lunch. 'No, that seems like a lot of money for just a sack lunch. Probably wouldn't be worth five bucks. I'll wait till we get to base.'

His friend agreed.

I looked around at the other soldiers. None were buying lunch. I walked to the back of the plane and handed the flight attendant a fifty dollar bill. 'Take a lunch to all those soldiers.' She grabbed my arms and squeezed tightly. Her eyes wet with tears, she thanked me. 'My son was a soldier in Iraq ; it's almost like you are doing it for him.'

Picking up ten sacks, she headed up the aisle to where the soldiers were seated. She stopped at my seat and asked, 'Which do you like best - beef or chicken?'

'Chicken,' I replied, wondering why she asked. She turned and went to the front of plane, returning a minute later with a dinner plate from first class.

'This is your thanks..'

After we finished eating, I went again to the back of the plane, heading for the rest room. A man stopped me. 'I saw what you did. I want to be part of it. Here, take this.' He handed me twenty-five dollars.

Soon after I returned to my seat, I saw the Flight Captain coming down the aisle, looking at the aisle numbers as he walked, I hoped he was not looking for me, but noticed he was looking at the numbers only on my side of the plane. When he got to my row he stopped, smiled, held out his hand and said, 'I want to shake your hand.' Quickly unfastening my seatbelt I stood and took the Captain's hand.

With a booming voice he said, 'I was a soldier and I was a military pilot. Once, someone bought me a lunch. It was an act of kindness I never forgot.' I was embarrassed when applause was heard from all of the passengers.

Later I walked to the front of the plane so I could stretch my legs. A man who was seated about six rows in front of me reached out his hand, wanting to shake mine. He left another twenty-five dollars in my palm.

When we landed I gathered my belongings and started to deplane. Waiting just inside the airplane door was a man who stopped me, put something in my shirt pocket, turned, and walked away without saying a word. Another twenty-five dollars!

Upon entering the terminal, I saw the soldiers gathering for their trip to the base. I walked over to them and handed them seventy-five dollars. 'It will take you some time to reach the base.. It will be about time for a sandwich. God Bless You.'

Ten young men left that flight feeling the love and respect of their fellow travelers.

As I walked briskly to my car, I whispered a prayer for their safe return. These soldiers were giving their all for our country. I could only give them a couple of meals. It seemed so little...

A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to 'The United States of America ' for an amount of 'up to and including my life.'

That is Honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it.' "

💥💥Here's my own personal story of being a recipient of Kindness from Complete Strangers  ! Please Read!

https://chateaudumer.blogspot.com/2021/09/an-act-of-kindness-from-young-stranger.html

https://chateaudumer.blogspot.com/2013/06/three-acts-of-kindness-from-strangers.html

https://chateaudumer.blogspot.com/2020/09/coping-up-with-grief-picking-up.html

St Patricks Day Beer Tasting and Irish Pub Sing-Along

Sunday Late Afternoon ( 5:30-6:30 PM), St Patricks Day, THD Activity Director Karen Kopp with the help of Resident Liaison Teresa Nudo hosted a very successful Beer Tasting and an Irish Pub Sing-Along. The Lobby was full, the hors d'oreuvre, beer and other drinks flowed freely. I had dark beer and corn dogs plus the Vegetable, Fruit and Cheese Platter which ruined my appetite for my Filipino dinner( thawing) consisting of pork sinigang and fried boneless milk fish ( bangus) with steam white rice.   The songs were played by accordionist Meg Keeley and her partner leading the sing-along. Lyrics of most of the songs were handed out. 

I took some pictures during the happy celebration and I like to share it with you. 

 

Meanwhile here my favorite St Patricks Day Quote:

A Leisure Walk at the Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park

From Left to Right: Birgit Dewhurst, Ray Gordon, Jan McGowan, Marsha Kefer, Linda Lachick, Me and Anne Long.     

Seven THD Residents enjoyed last Sunday Scenic Drive and Walk at the Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park in Oakland. It was a perfect day 72F, sunny with a gentle breeze. Our competent Driver Ralph Guilatco was great and accompany us during our walk. There were lots of walkers and hikers in the various trails and the parking lots were full. The drive made me feel like a bird that got out of its gilded cage.   

Here are some pictures I took during Our Leisure Walk in the Park

Dr. Aurelia Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park (formerly known as Redwood Regional Park) is a part of the East Bay Regional Parks District (EBRPD) in the San Francisco Bay Area. It is located in the hills east of Oakland. The park contains the largest remaining natural stand of coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) found in the East Bay. The park is part of a historical belt of coast redwood extending south to Leona Canyon Regional Open Space Preserve and east to Moraga.

Redwood forests are more commonly found closer to the coast where the air is cool and humid year-round. In the Bay Area, such forests are found in the Santa Cruz Mountains and the Marin Hills. The unique geographical circumstances of the redwood forest in Redwood Regional Park create coastal conditions. Winds funneled through the Golden Gate flow directly across the Bay and are channeled into the linear valley in which the Montclair District of Oakland is situated. This valley is also well-watered all year round and is protected from extremes of temperature and high winds. 

Popular activities for park visitors include picnicking, jogging, hiking, archery, and horseback riding along the 40 miles (64 km) of park trails. Fishing is not allowed inside Redwood Regional Park. The park offers four picnic sites that can accommodate groups of 50 to 150 people. Advance reservations are recommended. These are reservable and accessible to handicapped persons. Some overnight group camping areas are also available. Reservations are required. A play structure for children is a quarter mile down Stream Trail from the Canyon Meadow staging area.

Nature watching is another popular activity. The park is home to rare species, such as the golden eagle and the Alameda striped racer. More common fauna are deer, raccoons, rabbits, and squirrels( From Wikipedia).

Here's one of my favorite quote on Walking.